the marriage of an undomestic

good news and bad news

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:05:00 +0000

I'll give you the bad news first: this will be my last post at the marriage of an undomestic.

Since I got married in 2008, I've learned a lot of things. With every whip of the whisk, sizzle of the skillet, and recipe gone wrong, my cooking has evolved, my trial and error more hit than miss. I still can't cook rice to save my life, my homemaking skills need some serious work, and marriage is a constant, glorious uphill battle with selfishness and amazing rewards. But I definitely feel this blog has turned a major corner, from chronicling cooking fails to documenting my intentional living efforts.

Here's where the good news comes in. You can now find me at http://www.TheCornerSliceBlog.com. Like the new name? With A LOT of help from Meseidy, my new space is revamped and I can't wait to make myself at home. I just put up my first post on The Corner Slice explaining a little behind the name, but all of my blogger posts since 2007 should be there, too!

It's still under construction, but I couldn't wait another minute. You guys are the best, and I sincerely hope you will follow my transition and update your bookmarks and subscriptions accordingly.

See you there!

letters

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:41:00 +0000

dear weekend, thank you for bringing lots of opportunities for rest, reading, writing, and watching cheesy movies. sometimes we just need a weekend that doesn't include very much work. can I have ten more of you? LB

dear JT's dad, please feel better soon. we want you home for Christmas this year! <3 <3 LB

dear short work week, I have been looking forward to you all year. three cheers for cookie baking, novel writing, and spending time with la familia. can I have one more of you? oh wait! see you again next week! LB

dear running, I miss you a lot, but we need a little break. you did something bad to my hip and knee that won't go away unless we're apart. know that I may be cheating on you with the elliptical, but I'll be thinking of you the entire time. urs 4eva, LB

dear new family tradition, we started you last year and I can't think of a better celebration of love for a kid who grew up in the late 80s and 90s. can't wait to write about you, LB

dear december, sometimes you make me a little down in the dumps. I don't know what it is about you, but there are just some moments where honestly, I don't feel like myself. maybe it's the cold weather, the lack of sunshine, or the fact that my favorite season has just said goodbye, but this year, I'm determined to find joy in the little things and make you the best ever. turning over a new leaf, LB

dear JT, I'm so looking forward to 2011 and the opportunity to be more intentional about our marriage and making it the best year for us yet. thank you for putting up with me, my tendency to "read into" things, and of course, my mule-like stubborn tendencies. love you from the east to the west, LB

:: letters inspired by Emily at Today's Letters! ::

confessions from a grinch

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:06:00 +0000

If I'm gonna tell it then I gotta tell it all...

I'm having a hard time grasping why it seems bad things always happen this time of year. Sure, they happen year-round, but tragedy seems to strike families in more concentrated doses in these winter months. Off the top of my head, I can think of sickness, unexpected deaths, missing family members, and totally out-of-nowhere diagnoses affecting people all around me right now. People should be spending Christmas at home, cozy, in front of a fire, stomachs full of delicious food, not in cold hospital rooms, kneeling at church altars, signing divorce papers, or waiting by the phone for news. I just wonder how many ugly Christmas sweaters and cheerful "Merry Christmas" wishes are really hiding troubled hearts. Is it just me who thinks about this stuff?

* * *

All I want to do is curl up with a warm bowl of Kraft macaroni and cheese (mixed with tuna, parmesan cheese, and lots of black pepper -- my fav), a blanky, and some stretchy pants, and have a Home Alone marathon.

* * *

I haven't bought any Christmas presents except for JT's. And I'm beginning to think there's something dying underneath the mountains of dishes in my sink. The only dish I've washed lately was a pan I needed to use again -- to make Ramen noodles.

* * *

Everyone knows this season is a nightmare for those who work retail, but be sure to sympathize with those you know who get paid to send information to and ask more out of those in retail. That might be a little worse.

* * *

I've tried to watch White Christmas exactly twice in my life, and fell asleep or lost interest both times. I can do It's a Wonderful Life, and of course, I love Judy Garland's haunting rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," in Meet Me in St. Louis (does that count as a Christmas movie?), but the revered Christmas classic White Christmas is more than a little agonizing to me for some reason. I guess I'm more of a The Family Man, A Christmas Story, or Love, Actually kind of girl.

* * *

On the topic, A Christmas Story is absolutely the best remedy for Christmas Eve insomnia. I've been known to be too excited for sleep the night before Christmas, so I simply start watching the movie, fall asleep, and wake up at that exact point the next time they play the movie. It's genius! Can you tell my family is really big on movies this time of year?

* * *

I tried to talk JT out of sending Christmas cards to some people, denying the importance of sending a picture of yourself to people you haven't spoken with in years. We discussed whether this gesture constitutes the maintenance of a healthy relationship, or if it's just an empty, artificial tradition and a waste of postage. Insisting on parameters that give people the worth of 44 cents makes me feel most Grinch-like of all.

* * *

Every year, my family meets in my parents' living room for a Christmas tradition. Some of us curl up on the couch, others sprawl out on the floor, listening in silence to the story of a Savior born in a manger. While most eyes in the room sparkle with deep thought, mine still tear up when my dad reads the Christmas story from the Bible. And somehow, that story trumps all of these confessions and brings warmth and hope to my heart again.

When I think about that story, and what it led to, it makes trudging through the winter slush of heavy hearts and endless to-do lists all worth it. I'm praying any one who's having a hard time this Christmas will find their needs met (even if not in the way they expected), their minds comforted, and their hearts filled with the strength and courage to face life head-on. And I'm compelled to be on the lookout for ways I can reap the blessings I've received from the cross and the manger and pay it forward. Those opportunities pop up more often than we realize, and can really make all the difference in the world if only we keep our eyes open.

'tis the season

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:49:00 +0000

...for Christmas parties. Lots of them.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are kind of a blur of ham, gravy, sweet carbohydrate goodness, and of course, last minute shopping. It's been a doozy of a fall and winter so far, but I am doing my best to focus on the real Reason for the season and choosing love over busyness.

Today's Thursday (not quite) Thirteen is dedicated to the Christmas party tradition, every bad White Elephant present you'll give and receive, and of course, the countless covered dishes you'll prepare or consume in celebration with friends, co-workers, church groups, neighbors, friends, and of course, hideous-sweater-clad aunts and other miscellaneous family members.

LB's 2010 Partay Dishes

* * *

appetizers: because you and I both know dinner's never ready right on time.

:: brie cheese ::

just bake your brie to bubbly perfection, top with your favorite chutney or fruit salsa,

and serve with crackers. definitely not just for snobbies :)

:: pigs in a blanket ::

Shape magazine healthifies them with turkey dogs and a healthy dough

but they are delish with crescent roll dough, too!

* * *

side dishes

:: Paula Deen popovers ::

the perfect mixture between bread and souffle

serve with jam or honey butter for an alternative to classic rolls

:: Pioneer Woman mashed potatoes ::

look no further for the perfect mashed potato.

this recipe is especially good if you want to make them ahead of time

:: cheesy potatoes ::

definitely not artery-friendly, but a definite crowd-pleaser nonetheless

just defrost potatoes, mix everything into your baking dish, and cover with lots of cheese.

yum!

cranberries: I am not really a fan of the traditional cranberry side dish. Instead of cranberries, every year I beg my mom to make me a jello salad with cherry jello, pineapples, and marshmallows. I'll post the recipe very soon! Another amazing spin on cranberries is the one Bobby Flay made me once in a blue moon hahahaha! It's not traditional, but it's dang good. Click here for the recipe.

* * *

main dishes: we typically buy a honey ham in my family to make things easy,

but Meseidy's turkey looks downright delicious!

:: The Noshery's herb roasted turkey breast ::

delicious, succulent alternative to doing an entire turkey!

* * *

dessert: what we go through the motions of turkey and fixins for.

Here are some alternatives if you're worried everyone will bring pumpkin/pecan/chocolate pie.

:: Christmas cut-out cookies + royal icing ::

warm, buttery goodness you can get way creative with.

bake at 350's recipes look spot-on.

I'll take one with 2-3 inches of frosting, thanks.

I'm planning a cookie decorating party and cannot wait!

:: triple layer mint s’more brownies ::

just a little speechless right now. wow...

go to Eat Live Run for the recipe. just trust me on this.

As always, click on the link below each picture for the source (unless you can tell it's my own iPhone shot, of course!)

It's going to be tough to resist the temptations this season brings, as you can tell. But to me, that doesn't mean depriving myself of any of this goodness; I'm just going to have to resist eating the entire plate. It'll be hard, but I think I have the courage to do what's right and share.

On the topic of sharing, if you have any go-to holiday dishes, you'll be in BIG trouble if you don't share the wealth!

there's no place like home

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:56:00 +0000

I never thought this post would come, but I miss half marathon training. To me, there's a difference when you're running with a goal in mind, an accountability. I guess it's the difference between running and training, really. Not that running's not fun, but these past two Saturdays, I've really missed waking up early and running farther than many people will drive that day.

Between blistering winter winds, nagging cold symptoms, and a hip/IT Band injury that's been bothering me for about two months, I've all but sidelined myself to the elliptical for the winter. But I still have my little yellow timing band from my half mary looped through my laces. It's a little reminder that a mere three weeks ago, I ran 13.1 miles. I really did it. And I'm going to do it again.

I don't know where or when I fell in love with running -- maybe admiring the sunset on my most-traveled route, the Jenks Bridge? -- but I do know why. There are times I have to give myself some serious pep talks to hit the trail, times when my legs and lungs scream in protest, but once my shoes are laced up, I'm reminded of the serenity that comes with running and the awesome sense of accomplishment that follows thereafter.

But this wasn't always the case. For most of my life, I've loathed running. I'd even venture to say it traumatized me. From finishing last in the Presidential Physical Fitness Test's mile run in gym class, to being diagnosed with Patella Femoral Pain Syndrome (runner's knee), to repeatedly causing my basketball team to have to run "suicides" again when I didn't complete them in the allotted time, to all the throwing up and side cramps in between, I've had lots of beef with running in the past.

A major turning point, I recognize, was the first time I willingly ran, seven times around the track above my university's basketball court. I'd run a mile at a time, walking most of it, because I asked Michelle and her sister, Roxanne, how they stayed in shape, and they said running. To tell you the truth, I huffed and puffed the entire time, except for when I ran past the wide windows of the weight room, where cute football boys were pumping iron.

Then after I graduated in 2006, I met my athletic JT, who encouraged my running endeavors. Even though I couldn't run a mile at a time without stopping, I continued doing so, until one day, I was magically able to push through the wall of tightness in my muscles and brick on my chest. With the new found knowledge that if I kept running, eventually this "wall" would disappear, I went a little further and further each time and eventually ran six miles, incredibly proud even though on my run just one day before, I had to call my dad to come pick me up at a gas station.

Since then, running and I have had our ups and downs, like my shoes collecting dust almost all of 2009 with knee pain. But now I'm back, trying to run and fuel smart, and armed with the full knowledge that if you're good to running, running will be very good to you. It's exercise, the chance to talk with God, discipline, a million life lessons, camaraderie, amazing music, and really cheap therapy all rolled into a convenient package.

I've had a lot of people tell me that they don't think they could ever be a runner. Let me tell you that until I crossed the finish line of the half marathon, it was hard for me to consider myself a runner. The brace-faced girl who fled from the school gym after a major running fail during basketball practice surely didn't think she'd ever be a runner. But if you (with the approval of your doctor) put one foot in front of the other, start out walking and add in running when you can, for as long as you can, I promise you can do it, too. Find a like-minded friend for accountability or call your local running store to see if they have a running or walking program like my mama recently did.

But most importantly, run for yourself!

dear french silk pie,

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 04:46:00 +0000

If you are my mortal enemy, why have I been craving you since Thanksgiving?

Why can't I get your perfect, creamy, chocolate goodness out of my mind?

If our first date was such a grainy disaster, why was I so enthusiastic for a second, over two years later?

This time, I was determined to literally whip you into submission, to make you homogenous and dreamy, then pour you into a buttery crust.

Only, you were determined to be difficult again. And the second I poured the melted chocolate in, you gave it the cold shoulder and shattered it into tiny flecks.

How could you?

Listen up. You have almost 24 hours to cool it, and by that time, you'd better have your act together. Or else.

To be continued...

giada's winter minestrone

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 06:32:00 +0000

This was one of those recipes that fell into place perfectly: Cold, lazy morning. Self-imposed Food Network marathon. JT's request for a warm, hearty soup. Giada diLaurentiis's big pot of minestrone served to her ski bunny family as they returned to their Aspen Christmas paradise. Since I'd just seen it that morning, I made it by memory with a few modifications based on what we had on hand. And I baked up some honey cornbread for a little somethin' somethin' sweet on the side. Here's Giada's recipe with my notes, originally found here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped (I didn't have celery, so did without)
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped (I subbed bacon)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped (or baby spinach)
1 russet potato, peeled and cubed (or four red potatoes, cubed)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth, divided
1 (1-ounce) Parmesan rind (I didn't have a rind, but added salt at the beginning and stirred in parmesan cheese at the end)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a large, heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. (I cooked down the bacon first and am convinced it contributed to the delicious, smoky taste of the broth.) Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato. (If you're using spinach, you can wait to add it -- 1-2 huge handfuls -- as it will wilt very, very quickly.) Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and rosemary sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes.

In a food processor or blender, combine 3/4 of the beans with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potato pieces are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining beans and the parsley (and the parmesan cheese if you're going that route). Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Discard the rosemary stems (the leaves will have fallen off) and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Enjoy (with warm cornbread or without)!

a runner's wishlist

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 06:13:00 +0000

Welcome to the second and final installment of LB's holiday wishlist recommendations! Just in case you have no clue what I'm talking about, check out my foodie wishlist I posted last week. Like my foodie list, these are all just fun suggestions the runners you know and love might like. Some of these items are stocking stuffers, others you might want to give in lieu of, say, an engagement ring. Hope you enjoy, and be sure to let me know if there's must-have stuff I left off this list!

dry shampoo
just spray on for clean hair in a pinch

smartwool socks
I'm a self-proclaimed smartwool snob :)

shot blox

or your runner's fuel of choice

C9 by Champion

running tights I swear by:

cheaper than other tights, sleek,

and you don't have to wear shorts over them

iTunes card

to keep runs fresh and interesting
(or for a fun running app)

The Stick
it erases long run soreness like magic

spibelt

lots of running shorts don't have pockets,
and this saves the awkwardness of sports bra storage

Yogi cookie cutters
to celebrate those recovery stretches
that hurt so good!

iPhone glimpses of a sunday night

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 05:22:00 +0000

minestrone soup + cornbread

+ our first fire in our new house

(aka my husband is a stud)

+ sleepy puppy

(roughly the size of a baby deer)

+ recipe planning

+ cranberry oat muffins baked

+ clean kitchen

(to undomestic standards)

= bliss

a moment

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 14:19:00 +0000

I went to see my best friend LJ this weekend. She lives in Arkansas, just a little over an hour's drive away. But we still hadn't seen each other since September, before she got engaged. What can we say? We're busy girls. Luckily, we can always pick right back up where we left off, and talk via phone, email, and sometimes by video skype a few times a week.

Let me give you a glimpse of how special our friendship is: we both came away from this weekend completely recharged, and all it took was a day of doing absolutely nothing together. After going to a play and Logan's on Friday night, we watched season one of Glee in bed all day on Saturday, except for one Sonic run (and, by the way, we ordered almost the exact same thing without knowing). I'm convinced we were made for each other.

But that's not all this post is about.

On my drive home Saturday evening, I was listening to one of my favorite songs (you can find the video below), and singing along as best as I could in my flu recovery mode, and at about 4:48 into the song, at the perfect moment, this brilliant sunset erupted across the sky.

This picture was taken by my iPhone, but unedited in any way.

Anyway, I started crying.

I don't cry very often. But I'm truly convinced it was the Holy Spirit, the part of God I believe fills us, brings us peace and comfort and joy and hope, and even convicts us when we need it. I just needed a moment with him.

Here's the song for your listening pleasure this Sunday morning. It's wonderful!

Have you ever had a moment like this? What inspires you?

confessions of a workin woman

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:37:00 +0000

Christmas is in full swing at my office. I found my office decorated when I returned from my stint with the flu. It's pretty!

While I was at home, I accomplished so much. I maintain that I work best in the comfort of sweats, on the floor, with my tv on. It's just the way I've always been. I need distraction to function.

JT used to have the option of working four ten-hour shifts instead of five days. If given the option, I'd work Friday over Monday every time!

We have an institution called Cave Mode. As long as there are no clients coming, (we work primarily by phone and email) we turn off our lights except for a lamp, and something about it just helps us focus better.

Celebrations are all-out in our office. And I think it really contributes to our morale. It helps that as a service-oriented company, we have lots of giving people who like to make each other feel speshul :)

We drink a lot of water. Wow.

I love my job. It's not perfect, but I'm thankful for it every day.

a foodie's wishlist

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:38:00 +0000

I absolutely cannot believe it's December. For one, the weather cried Indian summer for far too long, and secondly, between Thanksgiving and being cooped up with the flu, I lost track of the calendar for a little while.

This means there's less than a month until Christmas, and it's time to get my procrastinating hiney into action, unlike my ambitious coworker, whose apartment is fully decorated and her entire Christmas list is bought and wrapped under her tree. Maybe some day I will have my act together, but this year is not that year.

Like many bloggers are doing right about now, I thought I'd lend a helping hand if you have a special foodie in your life -- or, like me, if your mother-in-law is going to come a-knockin' for your Christmas wishlist any minute now and you have no idea what to do.

But beware, some of these items are probably more proper for a "dream-on" list and should be reserved for someone incredibly special unless you have bottomless pockets or the unique love language for this sort of thing. Most of it is fair game, though!

anthropologie apron

because every cook needs a fun and flirty apron
(or an apron period.)

cuisinart food processor

this post explains everything

clean start cookbook
love everything the clean food movement stands for.
plus, I have the sister cookbook and love it!

microplane zester

because it's never fun to zest a finger.

kitchenaid stand mixer

forgive me, o Lord, for I have coveted
this mixer my entire marriage.

Yes, the larger size might be more practical,

but this color is so fantastic!

exacompta space 24 weekly planner

this planner is perfection for foodies
with an entire blank page each week for lists
(i.e. groceries, meal planning)

mini latte bowls

these are just too cute!

ThisIsNotMyShirt.com
a very unique gift for the compassionate foodie in your life,
each shirt helps provide clean water for villages in Africa.
many have asked about this shirt, the one I wore during my half marathon,
and I highly recommend checking out ThisIsNotMyShirt.com
for more on the powerful message behind this mission.

So, did I leave anything out?

butternut squash soup with caramelized onions

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:31:00 +0000

I had to check and double check that I hadn’t posted this recipe before. It was one of my favorite soups from last winter, and perfect for a chilly weekend when we needed something light and warm after all of our Thanksgiving feast-ivities.

Based on Ina Garten’s Butternut Squash and Apple Soup recipe, the final product is creamy with a little texture in it, a sweet and savory tug-of-war match of round flavors on your tastebuds. And if you’re like me, you’ll be very liberal with your black pepper grinder for just a bit of bite.

Shall we begin? Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

For 2-4 people, peel and chop one butternut squash and one apple in same-size cubes. Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny Smith, whatever is fresh and tastes good to you. Your cuts don’t have to be perfect, but keep them about the same size and shape. My advice to you is use a really sharp knife because all kinds of squash can be tricky to chop. And make sure you get all the core and seeds from the apple! Mix them with olive oil, salt, and pepper until the pieces are well coated. Then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook for about 20-25 minutes, turning once in the middle. This is standard practice for roasting veggies, and in my opinion, roasting really brings out the optimal flavor.

While your stars of the show roast, heat up a pot that’s wide on the bottom but still tall enough to hold your soup. Peel and thinly slice an onion (mince for less texture) and sauté in about a tablespoon of olive oil or butter on medium-high heat until glossy. Make sure to feed the onions a pinch of salt to help release their natural sugars. Turn down your heat to medium or medium low (watch it carefully) and cook them low and slow until start to brown. I think following Rachael Ray’s method of adding sugar first would work nicely, too.

I, however, bypassed the sugar for a drizzle of pure maple syrup. YOM! Stir about a tablespoon in with your already softened onions and let them keep cooking. It’s almost time for the soup to come together.

Put your newly roasted goodies in a food processor or blender and pour in enough chicken or veggie broth to almost cover them. They’re about to become something delicious. Give your mix a spin until it’s finely pureed. Pour it into the pot with the onions and give it a stir. At this point, add some broth or water to get the soup to your perfect consistency.

Now’s time to spice it up. Add about a tablespoon of curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. We love lots of black pepper in just about everything. In my version of heaven, black pepper and chocolate will go together perfectly. If you’re iffy about curry powder, don’t be. I, too, once thought curry powder was sketchy, but bought this little jar for this very recipe and didn’t regret it one bit!

At this point your soup is almost finished! Since your veggies were cooked in the oven, you just need to make sure it’s heated through and stays your preferred consistency. Something completely optional, however:

Just a little drink of cream. I don’t even keep it in the house normally, but I think I’m turning over a new leaf. A new leaf that could be very dangerous. It’s not even absolutely necessary with the starchy goodness of pureed butternut squash, sweet apple and onions, and savory curry. But a little drizzle here and there never hurt anyone, really.

Soup’s on!

a fanciful feast

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Think about it. The entire Thanksgiving celebration is centered around food. Well, and football here in the Heartland. I could hug whoever decided thankfulness and family togetherness should culminate around delicious culinary masterpieces. (Imagine if instead of the feast in that traditional First Thanksgiving story, they chose to center on the ship landing? What would our tradition be like in that case?)

For the last few years, my grandparents have come to town for Thanksgiving, but they were unable to make it this year. But my parents invited two replacements, The Noshery and the Spousal Figure themselves. My mom was so excited about them coming that she planned a meeting between the three of us just to make sure everything was perfect.

And it was.

Key players:

beautiful tablescape by my mama

brie with cranberry pomegranate chutney
(made by Whole Foods (YOM!!)

Pioneer Woman stuffing

cranberry goodness

Pioneer Woman mashed potatoes

Paula Deen popovers

the star of the show herself
(mi madre totally rocked it!)

my plate of yummies

sad, drooly yellow puppy had to stay outside

I didn’t take any pictures, but in normal family tradition my grandparents bring Italian sausage from a little Italian supermarket in Dallas. It’s delicious. We walk/run a 5K not far away from the house and then eat big juice sausages with tangy cranberry sauce wrapped in a slice of bread.

Though my grandparents (and the delish sausage) couldn’t make it, JT made sure the tradition lived on and picked up some Italian sausage from Siegi’s in Tulsa. It might not be a tiny Italian supermarket, but it was awesome! We have always loved the quality of their meats.

Just in case you couldn’t tell, our tummies are still recovering from this wonderful meal. Meseidy rocked the sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin bread pudding (Bobby Flay’s recipe from Throwdown with Ree’s hard sauce, if you can stomach how awesome that would be!) The turkey was plump and perfectly seasoned, the potatoes creamy and buttery, the popovers perfect with a touch of raspberry jam. And the dessert was perfect once I made more room by switching to stretchy pants.

But would you believe me that the company was even better?

Happy Thanksgiving! And don’t forget to be thankful the other 364 days of the year for friendship, beauty, and of course, food on your table!

things to be thankful for

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 14:18:00 +0000

my husband

and all the fun and beauty that's revealed through him

mornings

and that His mercies are new every one of them

my family

and all the wisdom and tears of laughter that spill in their presence

the oven

and all of the fascinating things that it can do

learning

and that it doesn't just happen in a classroom

music

for the special language it speaks to me

friendship

and that God gave us an unconscious ability to find each other

hope and a future

and that there are big plans in store

the fourth thursday in november

that it reminds us to have thankful hearts every day

but mostly that I can cook all morning in my pajamas,

eat until I'm stuffed, satisfied, and sleepy,

and spend all day with my family with an agenda of

nothing, football, and more nothing.

what are you thankful for?

the route 66 half mary

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:14:00 +0000

To say I’ve been waiting over six months to write this post wouldn’t be true. Yes, I’ve been waiting to add this chapter to my running story since I signed up in May, but that’s a post for a different day.

Everyone knows that a good race always begins the night before with the carbo loading. My college roommate was in town for a little, and I was happy she was there not only to spend time with her – which is rare these days since she lives in Denver – but so she could keep my nerves at bay.

We went to one of our favorite restaurant’s Mary’s Italian Trattoria on Cherry Street, and was able to custom-order exactly what I was looking for: a shrimp pasta with a simple lemon spaghetti. I ended up getting shrimp scampi with plain spaghetti and squirted a bunch of lemon juice on it. So delicious!

In the few days leading up to the race, I had lots of nerves going on. For one, my legs started giving me fits, I think because I wasn’t running very much, and I worried that I’d skipped too many shorter runs in my training. (More on this later.) My friend Melanie, who is a physical therapist, came over and taped me up the night before. So sweet!

I’d planned to wake up early that morning so I’d go to bed early and sleep well. My plan worked for the most part, so when my alarm went off at 5:55, I was up and raring to go. One thing I’d recommend is laying out everything the night before so it’s all ready to go and you don’t have to worry about forgetting your timer chip or race number.

The entire morning leading up to the race, my nerves had turned into pure excitement. I just said a prayer and knew everything would be okay. This was supposed to be about having fun, and having fun is what I was going to do! It was pretty chilly when we got there, especially standing in the enormous port-a-potty lines. I was actually in there when the gun went off, but luckily, I was in Corral C, and didn’t start until after fifteen minutes.

I made the mistake of starting with the 8:00 pace group since it was impossible to push against the crowd at that point, but I kept my own pace and just let them pass me. The beginning of the race was ridiculously hilly. The entire course had its ups and downs (har har), but I remember the beginning was the absolute worst.

The rest of the race, I just tried to pace myself, pay attention to the course, and distract myself with the gorgeous surroundings. We ran through Woodward Park, Cascia Hall, Swan Lake, and of course, along the Arkansas River. And the neighborhoods were gorgeous, too. The first three miles were hard for me, then I was pretty consistent with bursts of momentum at miles 4, 6, and 8.

One of the highlights of the course was running past Andrea and Jason’s house, where I got to high five JT and see the sign they’d made. It was at this point where I gave an older lady a pep talk, telling her she was over halfway there. “You are over halfway there,” she corrected me. She was running the full for her 50th birthday. I was so proud of her and told her I’d be there with her someday.

I found that when I hit a wall, I’d always get a boost of energy by encouraging fellow runners and thanking the volunteers and cops protecting the intersections. It was really helpful! Of course, I also paid close attention to my music when I needed to. At one point, I was mouthing the words to a Nelly rap and a man thought I was talking to him. Oops.

Of course, it was painful, but my legs held up for the most part. My left calf got a pretty big cramp in it for a long time, but nothing I wasn’t able to run through. I walk/jogged intermittently from miles 10-12, but once I saw 12, I knew I was in the home stretch. Then my running playlist somehow switched to the entire playlist, so I ended up running to Hillsong in Spanish for awhile. Luckily I ran into my boss’s wife, and we finished really strong together!

Check out our faces when we saw the finish line!

And finally we were finished – sweaty, in pain, and completely relieved! I loaded up on water, Gatorade, and some amazing beef stew and rice in the finishers’ tent, and caught my breath. I still can’t believe it’s over. Even though it was tough at times, all the training was so worth it. And I couldn’t have done it without the love and encouragement from my friends, family, and especially my wonderful husband.

Though I think I would have been faster if I’d done more weekday short runs, the biggest benefit of training I’ve noticed is the ability to recover. Just two days after the run, I was 100%, and today, I laced up my shoes and hammered out a few miles with Sampson.

I can’t end this recap without telling you that one of my fellow half marathon runners passed away during the race after a sudden cardiac arrest. He’d been taken to the hospital by the time I got there, but my boss ran past as they were working on him. Two years older than me, and an avid runner. I was in shock. Even though I’d never met him, I couldn’t help but think that after pouring himself into training, he should be whining about how much his legs hurt and milking sympathy from his family right now, not taken so suddenly. My thoughts and prayers have definitely been with his family since. I still can’t believe it.

Even though I don’t know him from Adam, from what I’ve read in the articles about him, I can tell he was passionate about running and died doing something he loved.

And I think I know now that this whole experience has awakened that passion for running in me. I think it’s here to stay.

weekend frivolities

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:56:00 +0000

A special thank you to all of Ree’s readers who stopped by to say hello this weekend! She is such a sweet woman. I hope to visit your blogs during the upcoming holiday from work (Counting. the. minutes.)

This weekend, I…

a) Went to see Harry Potter 7.1 three, count ‘em, THREE times, starting with the midnight premiere. Yes, despite being a well-adjusted adult, I will probably go to the Harry 7.2 premiere, too and round out the set. This one was my ninth midnight premiere to attend. I take my nerd movies seriously. And my super sweet family has invested in my interest – even JT, who has never read the books, but insisted we have a movie marathon leading up to the premiere. Love them!

b) Had a work Thanksgiving potluck with coworkers at my boss’s house. So delicious!

c) Got a visit from my college roommie! We had lots of fun together, as we always do, despite now living several states apart.

And oh, yeah…one last little thing I did.

d) Ran a freakin’ half marathon! I can’t believe it’s over. Be watching for the full update to come.

beauty and the flay: throwdown recap

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:19:00 +0000

spoiler alert: there are horses. and cows.

Thanks everyone for the tweets and comments about Throwdown. It was such an awesome experience and I can't wait to tell you all about it. So I guess I will start!

It all began when my good friend Meseidy got a direct message from Ree on Twitter. She personally invited a few local bloggers to The Ranch for a Food Network special. That's all we knew at the time. Meseidy came to my house that night to break the news in person, and we were ecstatic. As in, we may or may not have jumped up and down. Okay, maybe that was just me.

So we waited long, agonizing weeks until that beautiful early fall Oklahoma weekday arrived. Meseidy, her husband Obed, and I made the two-hour drive to Drummond Ranch. It was absolutely gorgeous. We drove up right by her house, right by Cowboy Josh, who politely tipped his hat at us (and is even more handsome in person, ladies). We may or may not have almost run over George, her yellow lab, who wanted to investigate us a little too closely. (We stopped and didn't proceed until we were sure George was safely frolicking to his next adventure.) We didn't see Charlie, though, much to my regret!

They had appetizers and wine for us while we waited on the spacious Lodge patio. Even though we weren't supposed to have cameras or cell phones out, I couldn't help but snap this picture; the view was too glorious!

We were greeted by Ree's mother and her mother-in-law, and mingled with people from Ree's town, various Drummonds, and a few awesome bloggers like Elizabeth, Jennifer, and Vivian. And before we knew it, it was time for the taping.

Once we got past the shock of how huge and beautiful the Lodge kitchen was, the Riveras and I navigated past cameras, lighting props, and Food Network people and found a spot near the front. Right now, as a huge Food Network fan, I just want to give major, major props to all of the people behind the scenes of these shows. And the editors, who weeded through hours and hours of multiple camera footage to create this one-hour special. There were people prompting the audience and cooks with questions and cues; cameramen bending to get the perfect shot; arms straining against heavy equipment; women getting punched in the face with the heavy camera and still going on with the show; and experts coordinating every little detail so it flows perfectly.

When Ree appeared, it was really happening. I couldn't believe she was there in 3D, as dumb as that sounds. And she is exactly like she presents herself on her blog. By that, I mean she talks like she writes: genuine, in love with her family, mildly self-deprecating in a good way, and friggin' hilarious. She starts cooking, doing what we believe is an intro to her Food Network special, and interacting with the audience a little.

Then Bobby Flay walks in.

And mouths drop to the floor.

Whoa.

Were we being punk'd? I think the look on my face in my 0.5 seconds of fame, if you saw it, sums up what everyone was experiencing: shock. Eventually we scraped our jaws from Ree's polished floors and strained our eyes for a better look at the goings on. It was intense and amazing. And really hot from the lights, hot cooking, and standing. Pans were stirred while dishes bubbled in the ovens (yes, there was more than one oven), recipes were explained to the cameras, scents tantalized our noses, and our stomachs grumbled with anticipation.

Ree was a rockstar: poised, regal, witty, and firing on all cylinders. Even through collapsed gravy debacles. And at one point, as I mentioned before, Bobby needed something from the pantry and touched my shoulder to squeeze past me. I turned to Meseidy, my eyes as wide as the wheels on a Drummond truck, and confessed that I was never going to wash my arm again. (A little dramatic, maybe?)

Finally it was the time we'd been waiting for since Bobby Flay walked in the room: tasting time. If you haven't watched the show and plan to, don't read any further! We had two platefuls of delicious Thanksgiving food: tender, flavorful turkey; rich, savory stuffing; perfectly cooked and seasoned vegetables; and the best mashed potatoes I'd ever laid fork on. And the desserts? Well, I'll never use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter again. I'm ruined.

Basically, we can say that Ree Drummond and Bobby Flay had us over for dinner.

My review: I loved both turkeys and gravies; would pick Ree's mashed potatoes over Bobby's brussel sprouts -- and pretty much any food in the world (though those were the very first brussel sprouts I've ever actually liked, in his defense); LOVED both stuffings, especially their use of mushrooms; liked Bobby's cranberry dish better than Ree's; and of course, could never choose between those mouth-watering desserts. Ree was genuinely surprised when she won, and she totally deserved it.

Just FYI, in this photo Ree posted yesterday, she was really saying and doing just that. Look, there I am, standing next to Missy! And accidentally touching Hyacinth's booty!

Afterward, we had the chance to talk with the ladies of Throwdown. I even compared burn scars with Stephanie, who got a pretty nasty one during the filming. They were really nice and encouraging women, and I'm glad I got to hear some of their stories.

The Riveras and I stuck around long enough to meet and talk with Ree in person. I refrained from using the word "girlcrush" around her, but summoned the bravery to pull out my cookbook, and she was nice enough to sign it.

Ree is just as genuine and beautiful in person as she seems in her writing. And her family is awesome. For one, her daughters -- and all the Drummond women, it seems -- are giants. The older daughter is approaching Ree's height, around six feet, and the younger daughter seemed to be around my height, 5'6". I am not nearly creepy enough to stand close enough for an exact measurement, don't worry. (The question crossed your mind, though, didn't it?) Her baby boy came up to us at one point and said matter-of-factly, "I already know who's going to win. My mama." SO adorable!

And then there's Marlboro Man. He is just as cool and rugged as he appears on her blog, but has so much dimension to him. Very kind eyes, too. What stuck out the most to me about him was how evident it is that he's mad for her. He walked around in his cowboy hat and spurs (and shirt, boots, and jeans) taking pictures of the action for her, supporting her in whatever way she needed. He looked at her with such admiration in his eyes. When his children wanted to speak with him, he stopped what he was doing and gave them his full attention. And I thought it was so cute that out of all of the cooking experts in the kitchen, Ree made sure that Marlboro Man carved the turkey for her. That gesture may not have been significant to them, just second nature, but it gave me the evidence that there is lots of love and respect in that household. I mean ranchhold.

I loved everything about this day. If I could describe it in two words, they'd be delicious and inspiring.

Then our happy hearts and full tummies drove off into the beautiful ranch sunset. And everyone lived happily ever after.

The end!

taper week

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:09:00 +0000

my favorite training hill

I am getting the pre-race jitters a little. This morning, I woke up in a cold sweat after having a nightmare with a menacing villain: an infected toe.

Yesterday, I almost deviated from my plan with a six mile run. Whoops. Luckily I worked late and the temptation passed. But it was a close one.

I alternate between dreaming of my post-race running routine and picking my stomach up from the dramatic plunge that sometimes occurs when I think about the race. Did I skip too many short runs? Did I taper too much? The imagination is a little dangerous when it runs wild, but realistically I know I'll be fine. JT may have to give me a pep talk, but I'll be fine. I just can't wait to cross the finish line and live to write about it!

Luckily I have lots of fun things to keep me occupied this week. Don't forget to watch the epic Throwdown tonight! Check your local Food Network listings (8/7c, I believe), set your Tivo, and prepare to have severe butter withdrawals. I am making this recipe to prevent that from happening. My recap post will be up shortly after!

yellow puppy chronicles

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 05:30:00 +0000

It's Sampson again. I've hijacked my human's blog while she is busy watching Harry Potter and cooking a lot. When I last wrote, I was still a puppy, but now I'm a big boy. Probably over 70 pounds now and almost eight months old.

I have quite the appetite for playing. All day long, all I want to do is play. And I didn't get to play outside for a very long time. I guess my humans didn't like it when I busted down their fence so I could play in the front yard until they got home. I don't know what I did? I just know I like playing.

Today I went outside and felt something really weird. The air was less like a hug and more like a bite. It made my whole body shake. But I felt better because, even though I was alone while my humans were at work, the trees played with me by throwing leaves all day. Sometimes they fell so fast that I couldn't move fast enough to catch them.

Then, sharp wet things started falling from the sky. I wanted my warm kennel and blankies so bad. Even though I don't normally bark or make a lot of noise, I howled when I heard my girl human come home. I ran to all the doors to see where she was. And let me tell you, her work pants have never felt so soft, warm, and good.

My favorite new pet is my raccoon. He's a lot bigger than my foxy and used to have five squeaky things inside of him, but I conquered all of them. Raccoon may not squeak anymore, but I still like to snuggle with him and play tug of war with him. Just thinking about it is making me sleepy.

::edit:: As payback to Sampson for hijacking my blog, I'm going to reveal something rather embarrassing for him. On Halloween, we didn't dress him up, per se, but we tied my Pioneer Woman bonnet on him, and...well, you just watch this clip if you want to find out what he thought about it.

quick red velvet whoopie pies

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:03:00 +0000

The other night, JT brought me the box of red velvet cake mix he’d thrown in our grocery cart a few weeks ago. For some reason, I’ve never had the inclination to choose red velvet over my go-to chocolate cakey goodness. My former roomie makes some mean red velvet cake balls, but that might be the only time I’ve tasted it.

Still, the moment that cake box touched my hands, I had devilish plans. Read on if you dare to find out what to do.

First, bake some cake batter cookies by mixing a box of cake mix, 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup of oil, spooning equal amounts onto cookie sheets (or the brand new jelly roll pans your husband bought you as an early Christmas present!), and baking in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for eight minutes, and then, you mustn’t forget this very important step: let. them. cool.

In terms of technique – not that I claim to have any – I took equal-size amounts of dough, rolled them into little balls between my palms, and flattened them gently with my fingers so they’d be as even and round as possible. Since they turn out super rich, I’d highly recommend making these much smaller than pictured, using maybe 1 tablespoon of mix at a time so you get cute bite-sized deliciousness.

Since in my kitchen, we don’t discriminate, if one or more turn out with a case of the uglies, and say, look like the earthshake-cracked ground on Land Before Time, just stick them on the bottom of your lovely little pies.

But don’t let me get ahead of myself. Before that can happen, you are going to make a substance that will cause you to reread this post multiple times, searching for one missing word. I can assure you, this is a drug-free zone, and there is no crack involved in this recipe.

Even a red velvet novice like me knows that red velvet cake without cream cheese frosting is like peanut butter without jelly. Okay, bad analogy; I eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches every morning for breakfast and somehow survive. Anyway, I decided to go big or go home and went to the expert herself. Ladies and gentleman (since I know at least JT will read this), they’re not kidding when they call it The BEST Cream Cheese frosting. Because it sure is.

Except for one thing. In my experience, I know that I like to be able to taste the cream cheese a little more than most recipes call for, so I only added about 2.5 cups of powdered sugar. But be sure to taste it after you blend in each cup. Everyone’s preferences are different!

Please save a little for the cookies. I know it’s hard, but you’re brave. You can do it.

Spoon a little bit of frosting onto a cookie. Once again, everyone’s tastes are different. I’m more of a “Want a little cookie with your frosting?” kind of girl. (Just in case, you know, you couldn’t tell.)

Slap another cookie on and give it a little squeeze. Watch the frosting goodness ooze. Mmmmm.

If you’re like me and couldn’t wait until the cookies were cooled to room temperature, your cookie might crumble. Sad day. But that’s okay because frosting makes the tastiest glue imaginable!

Enjoy!

(with milk, coffee, or by itself, sneaked from the refrigerator and eaten over the sink)

(PS: store in the fridge so the cream cheese will keep;
bring to room temp when you’re ready to eat – if you can wait that long)

saturday thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 05:07:00 +0000

Dear Readers, I know it’s a little cold, but if you have the chance to get outside, take it. By all means, take it! I snapped this shot from my office window yesterday to capture my favorite time of year. The colors are phenomenal. We call it confetti from our 48th-story perch.

There are just a handful of mild days left, though I certainly wouldn’t have called this morning mild as I trudged through my six miles in running tights, shorts, thermal underwear, a t-shirt, and a jacket. And an earwarmer headband. I’m a cold weather weeny, let me tell you. Why did I sign up for a winter race again?

* * *

look at these cute donuts!

Go see the sweet ladies at Oklahoma Country Donut Shoppe on 81st and Yale. They do all kinds of custom orders. When I was in there, they were even discussing a special order for a wedding with a woman. I always love stopping in to what new things they’ve cooked up, and they always make my coworkers’ day.

* * *

Can I just say that I really appreciate the supportive comments and emails I’ve gotten? Tonight I wanted to spend some time replying to comments – it was important to me that I do this – and then when I was finished, I realized that all I was doing was emailing the “no reply” blogger email. Sad day. Dear Blogger, please get with the program and allow us to reply to comments.

* * *

I’ve spent tons of time with kids. But this week was the first time two parents have entrusted me to keep their child alive by myself in a while. I joked that I looked like a college student because I was wearing an ORU hoodie and promised not to invite my boyfriend over.

We a) had a dance party; b) turned off all the lights and had a party involving a princess nightlight and one of those whirling light-up wands from Disney on Ice; c) ate pizza and watched Yo Gabba Gabba; d) were brave and conquered a diaper together. It was so fun!

* * *

This week is going to be so exciting! Just in case you don’t know what happens on Wednesday, check back a little ways to find out the scoop. On Thursday night, my trusty Harry Potter buddy, Darla, and I are doing the midnight premiere of The Deathly Hallows, Part I. As her husband Josh said, we are mature, well-adjusted adults, but we can handle our late nights, especially for such a good cause. Random trivia: this will be my ninth midnight premiere, and my third Harry movie with Darla. I’ve been debating which book I’m going to read before that to pump myself up.

Then Friday night is my work Thanksgiving party, and Sunday…shiver…the long-awaited half marathon. Lots to do, but luckily it’s all fun for once! I’m going to mull over which Harry I will right now, make a hot cup of tea, watch a few more episodes of Boy Meets World, and enjoy a few moments of calm.

PS: This is how married people sometimes choose to spend their fun weekends. While I find no shame whatsoever in passing the time in such a manner, I’ll have you know that JT and I ordered in takeout from a new place by our house called Wang Wang (new fav) and have just returned from seeing Morning Glory (loved it). We are so adventurous!

thursday thirteen + blog love

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 04:58:00 +0000

As you probably know, I've been reading healthy living blogs for awhile. A few months ago, I came across a blog called (never home)maker. It's become one of my favorite things to read since then, too! Ashley and Stephen have all kinds of running and fitness tips, and Ashley has actually been so kind to give me advice via Twitter. Since this has been my very first experience with long distance running, I've appreciated her encouragement so much and can tell she's just an innately kind person.

Another way she's inspired me is through her cooking approach. If you visit her blog, you'll see that she and her husband come up with lots of creative, from-scratch healthy recipes. That's something I'd really like to do more of. If she can be a long distance runner, work full-time, have a life, and create such delicious-looking food, I believe I can do it, too with a little planning and effort! I've even added it to my 25 for 25 list. (I am formulating a 25 for 25 update post, by the way!)

Here are thirteen things (to start off with) that we normally buy from the store, but can be made just as deliciously from the comfort of my kitchen -- and maybe taste even better because of it. Hoping to get a huge food processor for Christmas this year (and birthday and anniversary), but until then, I will make do with my tiny one!

Hummus
Peanut butter
Marinara sauce
Pesto (from my new windowsill basil plants!)
Whole wheat bread
Granola/cereal
Granola bars
English muffins/bagels
Ricotta cheese and Greek yogurt (lots of bravery required for this one!)
Crackers
Desserts (new policy: only eat from-scratch desserts? can I do it?)
Jam
Salsa

To health! (And a whole lot less preservatives!)

ultimate throwdown: the cat's out of the bag

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:34:00 +0000

Just in case you're not on Twitter, don't follow @thepioneerwoman, or for some reason don't know who Ree is, she finally made an important announcement following a significant Food Network commercial.

And now, the cat's out of the bag. I had the opportunity to be a part of this special day, and I cannot say thank you enough to Meseidy, who was asked by Ree personally to attend a mystery function at the Drummond Ranch and graciously invited me to tag along. It was so surreal to see the gorgeous rolling landscape of the Ranch, the gigantic kitchen at the Lodge, and the characters and flavors of this awesome blog up close and personal. Talk about knocking two things off the bucket list: Food Network + Ree Drummond!

I can't tell you who wins the challenge, but you can check out the deets about the show on the Food Network website. Be sure to tune in Wednesday, November 17 at 8 p.m. central. After that, I'll be sure to post a recap from an insider's perspective. What is Ree like in person? How does Food Network make it happen? Does all that butter really make a difference?

Okay, fine. I'll give you one tiny spoiler: Bobby Flay TOTALLY touched my shoulder. I cannot tell you how shocking it was when he appeared from out of nowhere and announced the Throwdown. Can't wait to tell you all about it!

PS: If for some reason, the questions I answered on camera make it to television, or, um, I am hypothetically captured on camera dancing -- just hypothetically -- please find my awkwardness endearing.

PPS: If you haven't previously heard of The Pioneer Woman, I love you, but please crawl out from beneath your rock and visit her website. Brush up on the basics, then watch Throwdown next Wednesday night!

confessions of a writer

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Tomlinson) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 15:33:00 +0000

a picture taken during college (in the era of AOL IM)

to demonstrate my burnt out brain

In my full disclosure post, I mentioned that JT is incredibly supportive of my writing.

It's so true.

About once a week, he sends me off on writing nights, during which I pack up my laptop and writing gear -- notebook, pens, Post-its, headphones, etc. -- and set up shop at a coffee shop, where ~~sometimes I am so distracted by college kids that I facebook stalk the entire time~~ I listen to mood music, get inspiration from people watching, drink caffeinated beverages, and hammer out pages.

I can do this because we don't have kids yet, though I fully believe it will continue to happen after kids. Maybe a little less often, but it will happen! I think he knows I need nights like these to be whole. That I have so much more to offer him when I'm firing on all cylinders.

The other night, I was sitting at a coffee shop, zoning out while I decided what to work on next, and I was struck with the sudden realization how random and no-holds-barred "writing mode" can be. There really is no telling where an inspired brain will travel next.

For example, here are some of the random things I googled in my research:

French names female

Bible verse "life abundantly"

knee hyperextension

child that gets sick a lot

hyperbaric chamber

how to make a latte

recessed lighting

intuitive eating

Off the charts, right? My friend Amanda, one of the most talented writers I know, said that while she was working on a forensics script, the little creatures inside the computer that generate Google and Facebook sidebar content gave her the strangest ads because of what she'd searched.

If you can believe it, the thoughts that go through my mind are even more astronomical. But that's a post of a different color :)